SACRAMENTO: The Air Resources Board has fined CSK Auto, Inc.$600,000 for selling windshield washer fluid throughout the statethat does not comply with the state's clean air regulations.

CSK Auto, Inc, is headquartered in Phoenix AZ and is parentcompany of several west coast automobile supply retail outlets,including California's Kragen Auto Parts, where the violationswere found. ARB cited the chain for selling windshield fluidthroughout California that was specially formulated with higherpollutants to prevent from freezing in the state's colder,mountainous areas.

"Manufacturers of a wide variety of automotive and otherconsumer products are subject to California's strict airpollution requirements," said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. "And wedepend on retailers to stock only those products that meet ourclean air goals."

Through routine monitoring, ARB enforcement officials discoveredthat CSK was selling windshield washer fluids and deicers thatexceed limits of volatile organic compounds. Through the years of2004 and 2006 more than 14,000 gallons of non-complying productswere sold.

ARB has worked with the consumer product industry for many yearsto strictly control the VOC content in consumer products as VOCscontribute to the creation of ground level ozone. Ozone iscaustic and irritates nasal passages and lung tissue, creating aserious problem for people with cardio-pulmonary diseases such asasthma and chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder.

The penalties were paid directly to the California Air PollutionControl Fund which uses the money to reduce air pollution througha variety of programs.

Limiting the amount of VOCs in products has reduced the numberof high ozone days throughout California. This is especiallyimportant in all of California's major air districts as theystill fail to meet federal health standards for ozone.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the CaliforniaEnvironmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote andprotect public health, welfare, and ecological resources througheffective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing andconsidering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all airpollution control efforts in California to attain and maintainhealth based air quality standards.